The Sickness
by Riley72
Summary: Something lurks in the shadows, lingering even in the light of day. Sickness has clawed its way into the heart of the city, consuming the life inside. And it's not always as simple as just killing the badguy... and how can you kill what doesn't live?
1. Fearless

**A/N** surprise, surprise, I don't own the turtles...

anyways, I'm not sure if I'm gonna update this story or not, it was just kind of something I wrote to get around my writers block, mwahahha! my writers block CAN be tricked! I dunno if anyons seen the movie, Dead Silence, 'bout Mary Shaw... but I make a few referances to her, cos i watched the movie with cris last night... hahahha. it wasn't actually scary... but I liked it, anyways. And the whole thing was, if you screamed when you saw her, should would cut out yer tongue and kill ya... Im not sure if she can kill you, even if you don't scream. I don't think she can... oh well. Doesn't really matter...

**The Sickness**

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Chapter One - Fearless

The city was still, calm, silent. The city lights cast colored glows into the dark, starless sky. The clouds were lit from below by blues, oranges, reds, purples and yellows. The city streets were almost empty, as if it the city's only inhabitants now- where ghosts and memories.

A quiet, but chilling wind cut through the streets, catching stray pieces of paper and rubbish, blowing them down the roads a few meters, before fading away again.

The silence was heavy, consuming. Fearing the curse of Mary Shaw, none dared break it. Those that traveled the streets still, walked quickly, heads down, tensed- as if, expecting a dark figure to leap out from the alley or the gutter, or the storm-drain, and claim another victim.

The city, once full of life and vibrance, now only had the memory, and the flashing lights to fill the void.

Heat rose from the cement pavements, sticking to their skins like a sickness, before the next cold breeze brushed away the heat.

Two sets of eyes scanned the city, searching for any sign of the life, the vibrance- the energy, the city had once contained. The eyes met, the first's look nervous- skittish, as if _they_ too, expected to be dragged away into the darkness by a pallid, rotting hand. The second look confused, thoughtful, immune to the fear that had clawed it's way inside the very heart of their city.

"Where th' shell are they?" The second asked, though not addressing the first - voice piercing the silence, soft- but loud enough to make the first jump.

"_Don't speak so loud!_" The first hissed, fear evident in his voice. The second smiled, teeth shining in the dull light.

"You're a ninja. Start acting like it." The second chastised. "Damn, If'I'da known that movie would scare ya so bad... I wouldn'ta let ya watch it. 'sides, she can only get ya if you scream."

The first looked around the silent, sleeping city. Maybe his brother was ignorant, or- maybe just stupid. But he _knew_ there was something wrong, tonight. Something bad. Something- thick, putrid, a mass of decayed, violent flesh with a vengeance.

He knew it was not just him- it was in the very _air_ he breathed, the sickness. He shuddered, the second laughed. It came with the darkness, but the feeling of a cancer, slowly drawing the life out of the city, lingered on, standing against the bold light of the sun.

"Bro, it's not just me... look at 'em. They're _scared_. Something must have scared them! The _city_ is scared! You know, don't pretend you can't- you can feel it, crawling on your skin like bugs- clawing it's way into your chest like a cold lump of fea-"

"You're jus' bein' dramatic now." The second sighed, searching the rooftops, for his remaining two brothers. "Why'd I get stuck with ya anyway?"

"I think Leo needed to speak to Donny."

"What about?" The second frowned.

"How the shell should I know?" The first snapped. His eyes scanning the shadows around him, glancing over the thicker shadows- perhaps, because he was not as observant as his other brothers- or perhaps, because he did not want to see what lay in the deeper shadows.

The Vile. The Twisted- the _sickness_.

The second suppressed a shudder, looking around himself also, set on edge by his younger brother's ramblings. He did not fear- if he saw, he would look, deeper into the shadows. Perhaps, even enter the shadows.

But, no matter. The Entire City was under the spell. It was only a matter of time... until the mutated fell to the fear, the sickness, also.

"C'mon! They can meet us at the lair!"

"Ya really wanna go trekkin' through all those dark tunnels on ya own, without ol' Fearless Leader ta hold ya hand?" The second sneered. The first almost whimpered. "Jus' remember, baby bro- never, ever- _scream_!" The second yelled. The first jerked, shying away- one foot stepping into the shadows, a strangled cry escaping his throat, before he clamped his own hand over his mouth.

Then, the first froze, one foot in the deeper shadows. One foot in the sickness. "Raph..." The first whined, terror thick in his voice. Cold creeping up his leg, under his flesh, through his bone- consuming.

"What?" The second asked, worry taking the place of sarcasm. The second stepped forward, grabbing the first, and jerking him out of the shadows, away from the sickness. "What's wrong?"

The first said nothing, horror naked on his face, eyes on the deeper-shadows, the sickness. The fear knotted inside of him, twisting his heart, his soul in despair and terror. The first broke out in a cold sweat, pale, shaky. The second shook the first.

"What is it?" The second demanded, turning the first to face him, but the first's eyes and face stayed turned to the deeper shadows. The seconds eyes narrowed, releasing his brothers' upper arms, drawing his sais- metal gleaming in the false light, the light that would never pierce the deeper shadows, the shadows were the sickness dwelt.

"Raph, don't!" The first cried out in fear, making the second halt, again, eyes searching the darkness.

Another mutant appeared, landing gracefully between the first and second. The third. The fourth mutant appeared a second later.

"What's wrong?" The third asked, frowning, eyes on both the first and second, hands going half to draw his ninjakens.

"N-nothing..." The first whispered weakly. The third and forth shared a puzzled look. The second turned to them, away from the darkness.

"Good ta see ya decided to show ya face, Fearless." The second sneered. "What th' shell took ya so long, anyway?"

_Fearless?_

The words echoed through the darkness, a thrill of fear went down the first's spine, and he latched onto the third's arm, seeking protection. But, perhaps, also seeking to protect the unsuspecting third from the sickness lurking in the shadows.

"Drop it, Raph." The Third- the Fearless ordered. Then fixed a smile on the first. "Let's go home then."

The four left quickly, the first sticking close to his brothers, never straying into the deeper shadows.

The sickness followed.

_Fearless._

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Hope ya liked, please review! I need some love! lol... anyways, hope it wasn't too confusin' or nothing, and made sense, etc... I think I will update, but I ain't tried my hand at horror writing since I was like 9... so I'm not sure how scary itll be...


	2. Night Terrors

**A/N** don't own the turtles... I wrote this last night, at about 11:15, and re-read it this morning, after my driving lesson was cancled, and I'm pretty worn out- so, the reason I told ya all this, was so you could forgive the typos and bad-grammer I didn't spot reading thro it now. I ran spell-check over it tho, so hopefully it's ok... so, I hope ya enjoy! (And I've decided I really like this story, the idea of it, so I'ma keep writing it! There is no sign of writers block- woot! party! oh-yeah, victory dance... hahaha... Yes, I have a victory dance. I don't know if it was in fan-fiction or not, but someone said that; Michaelangelo was a solid believer in appreciating every victory with; a victory dance. Or something like that- anyway, I completely agree with him! even tho my victory dance is _ridiculous_)

Anyways, I think that's a suitably long authers note- so, hope ya enjoy!

**Chapter Two- Night Terrors**

The lair was dark, silent- still, completely consumed in the darkness. The darkness that fled to the corners of the room, under the beds, once the lights were turned on. The sickness receded, but never left. It's- smell, touch, feel- taste- lingered.

It was cold, he was cold. But it wasn't from lack of blankets, or a heating-failure. No.

_It was the darkness._ He accused silently, jaw almost clacking, but he was too scared to allow himself a noise, not even a small sound. So he pressed his tongue between his teeth. It hurt.

He wasn't dreaming. It wasn't a nightmare. The Sickness was there- close. Closer than any shadow should ever be able to come.

His nightlight did nothing to piece the darkness. It had form, shape, trapping the small glow from the nightlight- devouring it, infact. Devouring his fear.

Without a sound. He promised, vowed, to whatever gods there may be, that if he made it through the night- he would _never, ever_ watch another horror movie. Oh no, it would be Dora The Explora and other harmless, non-scary cartoons from then on.

_If he made it through._ Though his limbs shook with cold, the movement was involuntary, he had already discovered terror had stiffened his limbs, and even _if_ he _wanted_ to move, to run, he could not.

_They can't get you... it can't get you... not if you hide under the covers and don't move and don't make a sound- it can't get you!_ His mind repeated, stuck on the single track, as if he thought the words enough, they would be true.

_The Sickness._ It could go by no other name. Darkness- was not suitable. Darkness could not rage away at your body, like _this_ did, darkness could not destroy your mind the way _this_ did.

He accepted that the Sickness---

_oh god... something moved._ His throat tightened, senses heightened, breath short, ragged- _god, it can hear me!_ He scrunched his eyes up tightly, he didn't want to see- didn't want to know- _I- help me! No!_ He screamed silently, words ringing in his head.

Even as he thought them, he hoped- and prayed, that none of his brothers should come to his rescue. _The Sickness, would have them too..._ So he swallowed his pleas for rescue, for the comforting sight of _any _of his brothers. Even Raphael would be a pleasant sight, at that moment.

But no help would come, and for that- he was glaaa--dd-

His body jerked, taunt muscles tensing even more, all sense of cold and terror pushed from his body, his mind. He was just- too scared. It didn't matter _what_ happened to him now- as long as it was over!

_I take that back!_ He cried silently._ I didn't mean..._ His thoughts trailed off once again, as he imagined that creeping... pallid, clawed hand, creeping under the blanket- body obscured by the darkness, hidden under the bed... the black nails fixing into his flesh around his ankle.

The sudden jerk- pulling motion, the scream he would let out. The final shrill girlish screech of fear- before-

A face- a face- not gray with decay- eyes not black gaping sockets- mouth not gaping open in that customary silent scream, or mocking laugh, pulling back the covers- he was too scared to scream.

_Green._ Michaelangelo thought weakly. The light was on- but the darkness remained. You could escape the Darkness- but the Sickness. No. The Sickness would never leave.

"Leo?" Michaelangelo croaked, voice high. The face almost smiled.

"Nightmare?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. Waves of relief flooded Michaelangelo, body going limp, too much fear, too much relief- all too fast. His body couldn't handle it. The adrenaline... just died.

"No- _no!_" Michaelangelo yelled twice. Remembering the similar feeling on the rooftops with Raphael a few nights ago. The feeling of... Sickness- coldness. Fear- hatred- and, upon Leo and Donnatello's arrival- _interest_.

"Mike?" Leo frowned, leaning closer, trying to work out what was bothering his baby brother so much.

"Get out! Get out!" Michaelangelo screamed, desperate, fighting the bed-clothes, now wrapped around his legs, trapping him, holding him still, as successfully as the fear of the Sickness had only moments before.

"Mikey- it was just a bad dream." Leo tried to soothe his brothers frayed nerves- but nothing was working. Michaelangelo tore himself free, then stumbled from his bed, leaping away- lest that horrid, pallid hand grab his ankle and pull him into the remaining darkness under the bed- where the Sickness was strongest-

where... where Leo was sitting-

Michaelangelo lurched forward, grabbing his brother, jerking towards the door, clawing the door open, crying now- he slammed his door behind them, watching the gap between door and floor carefully. Waiting for a shadow to obscure the light.

"Michaelangelo." Leo snapped, not angry- worried, confused- and, as usual- _demanding_ an explanation.

Michaelangelo's eyes tore from the gap underneath the door, to his brothers troubled eyes- before quickly snapping back, and then recoiling, stumbling- catching Leo off guard, they tumbled to the ground.

Michaelangelo pushed himself backwards, adrenaline once more flowing through his blood, and this time- he could do something about it.

_There... a shadow- The __**Sickness-**_ he could see the light cast by the light bulb ceiling fixture- distorted- shaded- _by something -__**The Sickness!**_- standing in the way!

"Michaelangelo!" Leo yelled. Before his eyes saw the shadow underneath the door way. Anger sparked in his eyes. "I swear to _god_, if that is _you_ Raphael, I am going to _make sure_ you are _very, very_ sorry." Leo snarled, jerking himself free of Michaelangelo's desperate, clinging grip, and striding towards his little brothers closed door.

"No! Leo-_LEO!_" Michaelangelo screamed. Leo ignored the terror in his brothers voice- had time to register Donnatello- _and_ Raphael appearing in the hallway. Donnatello looking worried, and hassled after flicking on the hall light, Raphael looking merely violently angry at being awoken at some ungodly hour of the morning.

Leo pulled the door open violently, body jerking back- breath catching, heart skipping a beat. A cold sweat broke out over his body.

"Leo? What the shell is going _on_?" Raphael demanded. "What the hell is with all the flippin' noise?!"

Leo ignored him, stepping into the room. A low, animal whine of terror escaped Michaelangelo.

"What's wrong?" Donnatello asked gently, helping Michaelangelo stand, before slowly moving to his doorway. Leo stood in the center of the room, searching for any sign of- _of what?_ He asked himself angrily. _The freakin' __**Boogey Man?!**_ He rubbed his temples.

"Nightmares." Leo said flatly. "Mikey- was having nightmares, or something. I came through. Usual. Just..." Leo shrugged, flailing. Raphael laughed.

"Did the big bad monsters of Mikey's dreams scare ya, Leo? Don' worry, I won' let those nasty monsters hurt ya." Raphael sniggered. Leo cut him a deadly look.

Donnatello exhaled a long, deep breath, rubbing his temples tiredly. "Come on, Mike. I'll make you some hot-chocolate, to help you get back to sleep."

Michaelangelo shook his head. "No! It wasn't- wasn't nightmares. Guys, you _have to_ believe me! The--... the _sickness_- it's... it comes with the darkness- and it-it--"

Raphael laughed even louder, gasping for breath. "Please, Mike- _the Sickness?_ Ooooh, scary! First, it starts with- a _migraine!-"_

"You're _giving_ me a migraine!" Leo snapped.

But Raphael could not be deterred. "And then... the dreaded- horrible fate! _Oh!_ The _sneezes_! The runny noses! The fever- _oh no!_"

"Raphael!" Leo bellowed a warning, looking tired, drawn.

Michaelangelo cut a desperate look to his remaining brothers. Leo's eyes were downcast, he rubbed his cheek absently. Donnatello merely shrugged. "Mikey, you _know_ how real some of your nightmares can be. This is just... another one of them."

"No- _it's not_!" Michaelangelo yelled angrily, he hated this bit in movies, where the one who knew exactly what was going on was trying to tell the others- _but no one believed the one who knew_. He cringed, watching those bits, because his life full of moments like that. He wasn't surprised this moment was any different.

"Mike." Raphael said flatly, not amused anymore. "The Sickness? Come on. You've been tripping out ever since the other night on the roofs."

"Yeah- because that's when I felt it- the Sickness! It followed us home! You have to-"

Raphael opened his mouth, ready to explode.

"Raph, go back to bed." Leo said suddenly, voice flat, dangerous.

"Ya _what_?! Come on, Fearless! Don't tell me ya actually _believe_ this-"

"Raphael, either go to bed, or shut the hell up!" Leo exploded. Raphael grit his teeth, but remained silent, and stayed rooted to the spot in the hallway. "Donny, go and make Mikey that hot-chocolate you promised him, and start some tea for me, please. Raph, go with him." Leo ordered a split second later. Raphael's eyes narrowed, but he followed Donnatello toward the kitchen.

"You... you believe me?" Michaelangelo asked weakly. Leo fixed a haunted gaze on his brother. He swallowed hard.

"I have no idea what this... Sickness... is. And I'm not saying it wasn't just the nightmare, clinging on. Or some sort of placebo effect, or something. But I'm willing to listen. In the morning." Leo finished sternly.

"But- I don't... I can't go back to sleep..." Michaelangelo wailed. Leo laughed, grabbing his little brother in a one armed hug, as he directed him down the hall.

"Mikey, if I know you, like I know I do, you haven't got a choice in the matter. Sooner or later, you'll just pass out." Leo smiled. Michaelangelo stared at his oldest brother.

"Did you see it? The Sickness? Did you?" Michaelangelo pressed. Leo cut a look over his shoulder, to his brothers' closed door.

"You're bunking with me, tonight, kiddo." Leo said, in way of reply.

_Fearless._

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I hope ya liked, (you know, I say that EVERY time. At the end of my authors note at the top, and at the START of my - this little thing, that I put at the bottom... mwahahah!) bet it's driving ya crazy- it's driving me crazy too! But I don't know what else to say- EXCEPT the dreaded please review thing... but that doesn't bother me... unless it's like begging or threatanenin-...

see? nothing to say... except; hope ya liked, nd please review! blah... I'm goin' to bed! -

**_HOPE YA LIKED!_**

**__**

MWAHAHAHAHA!


	3. Don't Look The Shadows Breathe

**A/N** don't own the turtles... boy... im sick of that sentance...

anyways, i've abandoned the creep factor for this chapter, which is really stupid, because, if anything, this chapter HAD to be really scary- but, oh wells. I uh... yeah, I'm gonna say it; I hope ya enjoy.

**Chapter Three- Don't Look; The Shadows Breathe**

"_Come on_, Donny!" Raphael cried, Donnatello jumped at Raphael's exasperated cry, and focused on his brother. His back muscles were tight, the back of his neck covered in goose-bumps. Every horror movie he had ever seen in his life running through his mind.

_Don't split up._ Michaelangelo's first rule of surviving a horror movie ran through his mind. _Done._ Donnatello added briefly, making up an invisible check-list in his mind, trying to work out just how fucked they were.

_Don't go anywhere, dark, or creepy, or isolated- especially __**not**__ the woods, or an old, abandoned house._ His second rule appeared on the check-list. Donnatello looked around the abandoned ware-house, on the outskirts of the city. _Done_. He ticked the imaginary box.

_Never have sex in the woods- because you __**will die**__ in the woods._ Well, I'm safe from that one, at least. Donnatello thought dryly.

_Black man always died first, unless there is a brunette..._ Well, screwed on both counts. _Unless Green is the new black..._ Donnatello added mildly.

_If you __**do**__ find yourself in a horror movie situation, and you split up, make sure that you go with the angtsy, tough hero._ Donnatello stared at his older brother, Raphael. _Well, you're not exactly angtsy. But you're tough._

"Donny!" Raphael snapped. Donnatello snapped back to reality, abandoning his imaginary check-list.

"Raph?" He croaked. Raphael looked skyward, arms crossed angrily.

"I swear, whatever the _shell_ is bothering Mike... it must be flippin' contagious-"

"Oh, very funny, Raph." Donnatello interrupted, voice flat, sounding like Leo.

"No, Don, I didn't _mean_ it like that-" Raphael sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you letting it get to you?"

Donnatello shook his head. "I'm not." Raphael laughed. "Aren't you even the _slightest_ freaked or creeped out?"

"No. _Someone_ has to stay sane, while you three go crazy." Raphael replied stonily. "Besides, I stopped bein' scared of the Boogey Man when I realised I could just kick the shit out of it if it ever dared come outta my closet." Donnatello shook his head, equally frustrated with Raphael as Raphael was with them.

"You have to admit- _something_ is - bothering the city, the people. Everyone is scared. _Everyone_. We haven't seen sign of the Foot in _weeks_, and I've only seen a handful of Purple Dragons, in days." Donnatello said, trying to reason with his brother. Trying to reason on the side of complete insanity, as far as Raphael was concerned.

"As far as I'm concerned, you've _all_ flipped yer lids."

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"_Mikey_!" Leo snapped, as his brother slammed into him- for what felt like the millionth time that night. Michaelangelo stepped back a little- half a step. "I swear to _god_, Michaelangelo, if you do _not_ back off, I am going to have some very _serious_ personal space issues by the end of tonight." Leo hissed.

Michaelangelo took another half-step back, less than a metre from him, but it was the most space Leo had had all night. Leo's shoulders slumped when he saw the hurt- and scared, look in his brothers' eyes.

"Look, Mikey, I'm sorry. I _know_ you're scared, alright. But, please, being closer to me than my own skin is merely going to inhibit our actions should something, or someone, decide to reveal itself." Leo tried reason. Michaelangelo's face twisted with fear at the idea of _something_ revealing itself- something- cold, decayed- stepping out of the shadows and grabbing them both.

Too late, did Leo realise his mistake. He wrapped a protective arm around his youngest brothers' shoulders. "I'm sorry, Mike. Really. Now, listen, d'ya trust me?"

"Yeah. Course I do." Michaelangelo replied instantly.

"Good. You know I _always_ keep my promises too, right?" Michaelangelo nodded, before seeing where Leo was going.

"Don't you dare promise me nothing is gonna come out of the shadows!" Michaelangelo blurted frantically. Leo smiled.

"I'm not gonna." Leo replied honestly. "But I _am_ gonna promise, that- if something, or someone, came outta those shadows, and meant any of us harm... I promise, I will not let you, or Raph, or Don come to _any_ harm, OK?"

"What about you?"

"Me?" Leo frowned.

"Yeah. If you're protecting us, who's gonna protect you?" Michaelangelo asked weakly. Leo grinned.

"You, and Raph and Don, of course. While I'm watching _your_ backs, you're watching mine. Right?" Michaelangelo nodded. "So, there we go. Even if there _is_ something out there, you don't needa be scared. Cos I'm here, and what sort of big brother would I be if I let something hurt or scare you?"

"You'd be Raph." Michaelangelo grinned. Leo laughed weakly.

"You know Raph doesn't let anyone get away with hurting you or scaring you." Leo argued, playing the straight man.

"No, he saves them the bother and does it himself." Michaelangelo replied, eyes dancing.

"No arguing with that." Leo shrugged. "Now, let's get this search over with- so we can get home."

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Leo and Michaelangelo met up with a thoroughly shaken Donnatello, outside the warehouse. Leo stared hard at him. "Where's Raph?" He asked, in a tone that said he expected he already knew the answer.

Donnatello shrugged. "I uh... I dunno... He got mad- and... left." Donnatello offered weakly, glad to be reunited with Leo and Michaelangelo. _Safety in numbers._ He thought silently.

Leo sighed heavily, ignoring the worried niggling in his stomach. "Don, Mike, go home."

"What?! No- _Leo!_ Never go off alone! Remember!" Michaelangelo yelled.

"Mikey, this _isn't_ a horror movie. Your rules of survival will not _have any_ effect. Trust me on this." Leo said sternly. Donnatello looked away sheepishly. Leo caught the deflated, scared look on Michaelangelo's face, and the look he couldn't place on Donnatello's. But both looks made him want to- apologize. But he was right; he knew he was. They were just stupid horror movies. "Besides, Mike. The people in your horror movies, were they ever Ninjas?" Leo asked lightly.

"Nah. I don't think so." Michaelangelo shook his head. Donnatello shook his head slowly. But he had not seen nearly as many horror movies as Michaelangelo.

"OK. Have they ever been big, giant, mutated _ninja_ turtles?"

"That's a definite no." Michaelangelo replied.

"Well, then." Leo clapped both his brothers on the shell. "Get home. Don' make me tell ya twice. I'm gonna go see where Raph got to."

"But... Leo..." Michaelangelo began. Leo raised an eye-ridge. Donnatello knew that look. Leo was just as stubborn as Raph, sometimes. Michaelangelo _also_ knew that look, and turned away with Donnatello, defeated.

Leo watched them go for the nearest man hole. "And, be careful!" Leo yelled after them.

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The shadows pooled, collected- blotting out the light. Darkness crawled across the tarmac, looking hellishly like pooling blood.

The air was still, thick, full of the scent of death. The second paused, the one with the red bandana- the familiar one.

Fear poured off the seconds body, pumping through his blood, terror playing with his mind, eating away at him. But rage followed close behind, a hot, white anger.

The sickness clung to the walls, the ceiling, like a putrid moss, springing up, taking the place of mediocre darkness.

The Sickness coiled, ready to pounce- shadows built, creeping through the trees, the walls, pouring through the darkened windows.

The second spun around, drawing sais, eyes wild. Panic building-

_Now-_

Blood splattered everywhere, shattered glass- pinpricks of pain and reflections--

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The Sickness pounced, but so did another.

Raphael staggered, tripping, falling to the ground. "Leo!" He bellowed angrily, Leo leapt back quickly, holding his arm, blood pouring from a small cut, caused by his brothers' sai. Of course, holding that small cut was completely pointless, he was covered in small nicks, from smashing through the window. _Idiot_. He chastised himself, pulling his hand away, looking at the cut. _The door would have been a just as successful entrance point._ His eyes found the blood.

_Looks black._

The Sickness pooled in the upper corner of the room. Venom and hatred and a pure, loathing hit Leo. And it was not coming from Raphael, for once.

"Raph!" Leo cried, pulling him up.

"What the shell is your problem?!" Raphael snarled, shoving Leo. Leo staggered back, eyes scanning the darkness, a small stream of blood dropping to the ground- vanishing, into the thicker, pooling darkness.

_Danger. Dangerdangerdangerdanger-_ Alarm bells screamed over and over in Leo's head and body, he drew his ninjaken's an instant later, for once, the clear, polished blades reflecting no light.

_So dark... So dark- why is it so dark? It shouldn't... shouldn't be so dark... The streetlamps- should cast __**some**__ light_. Leo thought carefully, looking out the window he had- just a few seconds ago, burst through. "Leo?" Raphael swallowed. "Leo, what is it?" He looked out the window, trying to work out what was wrong with the scene.

Then, it clicked. _The streetlamps._ He thought weakly. "Like a dome of freakin' doom over the whole warehouse." Raphael said, before he could stop himself.

Leo's jaw clenched. The streetlamps- couldn't be seen, not even a trace. The darkness was like a physical wall. He looked carefully to his left. Seeing nothing.

_In movies... no one ever looks up._ Michaelangelo's voice muttered. _Except in horror movies. And that's when you really __**don't**__ wanna look up. Cos the monster is always clinging to the ceiling, head turned around the wrong way, grinning at you._

Leo's face twisted, breathing hard. His chest locked up. He closed his eyes for a second. Then, inch by inch, looked up.

A horrible- twisted, animal-like scream cut through the night like a knife. Leo flinched, Raphael cried out in surprise- and the Sickness flashed from the room.

Leo breathed quickly- too quickly now. "Leo?" Raphael whispered. A inarticulate gasp of complete disbelief escaped his older brother, and Raphael began to turn- to see _what_ exactly, had terrified his older brother so.

"Don't look, Raph. Don't look." Leo whispered.

"_Why the shell not?!_" Raphael exploded, turning faster- Leo's hands grabbed his shoulders, dropping his ninjakens, the blades vanishing into the pooling darkness around their ankles, and turned him back violently, so that his back was to _whatever_ Leo could take his eyes off. "_LEO!_" Raphael snarled.

"Don't look... don't look." Leo whispered, eyes wide, voice failing.

"_Why not!?_ What shouldn't I look at?!"

"Don't look; the shadows breathe."

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(betcha didn't see this one coming;) I hope ya liked.

I looked at the last bit, after writing it, and thought it woulda been better from a different POV, like I did in the first chapter, refering to Raph and Leo as the second and third, but laziness prevailed, and I didn't bother to re-write it.

I forgot to say at the top, but thanks for the reviews! I love reviews. I am a re-view whore... the first step of solving your problem, is admitting you have a problem... hahahaha...

so, I hope... (here it comes again...) ya enjoyed the chapter!

annnnnnddddd- please reveiw! woot. thanks for reading!


	4. That Sinking Feeling

**A/N** hey, not much to say bout this chapter, except, yeah, hope ya enjoy.

**Chapter Four - That Sinking Feeling**

"Hey... Don... did'ya ever get that Sinking Feeling?" Michaelangelo asked conversationally.

Donatello rolled his eyes. "Mikey, I _grew up_ with you. Me and that Sinking Feeling, we're on first name basis. A more suitable question would be; do I ever _not_ get that Sinking Feeling."

Michaelangelo was silent for a while, which worried Donatello. Whenever his brother was silent... it usually meant he was thinking, because his brain couldn't handle more than two things at once, it was either; talking and breathing, or thinking and breathing- or eating and talking. His silence brought on... _that Sinking Feeling._ Donatello thought dryly.

"So, what is it?" Michaelangelo asked, surprising Donatello.

"What is what?" Donatello sighed, wishing Leo would hurry up and bring Raph home. He was worried- worried about Raphael. Which was a change. Usually, he was just pissed at Raphael, or ignoring Raphael.

"Sinking Feelings' first name?" Michaelangelo elaborated- sounding, for all intents and purposes, completely serious. And innocent, of course. Infact, Donatello would bet just about anything, that if he could see his brother, that innocent, sweet, charming, butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth, look would be plastered all over his face. Which was a point. It was dark in the tunnels, sure. But it shouldn't be _this_ dark. Donatello pushed the thought away.

Donatello did not come up with a suitable reply. It didn't happen often, but if it ever did, it was usually because of Mikey. Words failed him. He was speechless. He wasn't surprised.

It was as they entered the Lair, when Donatello was mulling over a retort, specially designed to bore the shell out of his little brother, when- in such a speak of the devil fashion, he got that Sinking Feeling. Except, this time, it wasn't because of Michaelangelo.

Some inexplicable warning bell was going off in Donatello's mind, his thoughts stuck now, completely on Leo and Raphael.

"Mikey." Donatello said quietly.

"What? Dude, I know I mentally scarred you many times, when we were kids, but it's time to live and let live. You _cannot_ call that Sinking Feeling Mikey- just because..." Michaelangelo trailed off, looking about himself, as if- as if he felt eyes, staring out from the darkness.

"Mikey." Donatello repeated. "Explain this Sickness theory to me." He said gently, watching his little brother as he went about, methodically flipping all of the lights in the lair on.

"Erm..." Michaelangelo halted, hand going slowly to his side. He turned to Donnatello. "I haven't really _got_ a theory, Don. I don't analyze everything. We can't _all_ be clever like you." He added on, somewhat bitterly. Donatello stared at his brothers sudden bitterness, perplexed.

"Well, Mike, then tell me what you know- or feel, give me _something_." Donatello sighed. Michaelangelo's blue eyes found his brothers, a slight frown on his face. He looked restless, scared, put-out. Like he didn't really want to talk about it. As if, by speaking of the Sickness... would summon it. "Mikey, please." Donatello said softly, coaxing his brother into the kitchen, and sitting down beside him, after fixing them both a cup of hot chocolate, normally, he drank coffee, but he needed something warm, innocent, comforting, that spoke of those old, safe, childhood days.

When fear of the Boogey Man was just silly.

_Oh... I miss those days._ Donatello thought dryly. Before, concretely deciding that he was more scared of what lurked under the bed _now_, than he had _ever_ been in his childhood.

"I don't know, Don... It's like- like Darkness. But stronger. It stays, even in the light. It's thicker, stronger, than Darkness. Like it almost has a physical form... But it doesn't. It's just... just a feeling. Like a cold, sticky, fever sweat on your skin. Like blood... thick... and the smell... well... you can't really smell it. But you can feel it, you feel like you _should_ be able to smell it... but there's nothing to smell, because it's really just... a Deeper Shadow." Michaelangelo answered as best as he could. "A Deeper Darkness."

Donatello nodded. "And... you felt this, the other night- with Raph? While I was with Leo?"

Michaelangelo nodded. "Yep. He didn't believe me... Just laughed at me... like always... hey, wait a sec- what _were_ you talking to Leo about, anyways?" Michaelangelo asked, doing a verbal double-take. Donatello raised an eye ridge. "Alright... fine... whatever..." He shrugged, staring up at the shadow cast by the kitchen cabinets.

"So, what? What do you feel?" Donnatello pressed.

"Fear." Michaelangelo replied, dead-pan. Donatello rolled his eyes. "Horror. Sick. Twisted- warped. Disgust. Pain." Michaelangelo rattled off the emotions one after the other. Eyes never leaving the shadows. Then his head turned, eyes fixing on Donatello. "Dead." He added, with an air of finality that scared his older brother.

"What?"

"It's like- it broadcasts it's feelings, what it is. Into you. Consuming you, destroying you- and... and when you and Leo turned up... I felt- _interest_." Michaelangelo gaped. "Like- like... I don't know... It's just- a feeling. It's like... poison. Like cancer. Like once it gets inside you, it'll devour you, inside out, inch by inch. Destroy everything. Rage- hatred... putrid. Decayed... Vile... Pall-"

"Well, then. We won't _let_ it get inside, will we? You can cure poison, cure cancer- you can stop it. _We can stop it!_" Donatello interrupted quickly, his younger brother was beginning to scare him. The blue eyes clouded, and didn't leave the shadows.

"Mikey!" Donatello cried, grabbing his brother by his shoulders, Mikey's eyes had trailed once again to the shadows, eyes becoming vacant- but the vacancy was so not the problem. No- the _problem_- was the look underneath the vacancy. As Michaelangelo stared at those shadows, shadows that Donatello was quickly beginning to refer to as the Deeper Darkness... he... he watched the heart of those shadows, where Donatello could only begin to guess the Sickness dwelt... with a _longing_ in his eyes.

"Donny? What?" Michaelangelo frowned, startled. Donatello stared hard into his brothers eyes.

He shook his head in horror. _First Mikey... then Leo... and Raph- is alone- _His thoughts slammed into a brick wall. _**Once it gets inside you, it'll devour you, inside out, inch by inch.**_

"It's already inside." Donatello croaked.

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They were divided- weak. The first and fourth together, hiding- in the light. The flimsy facade of a defense against something that had no weakness. The second- and the third... weak- without even a flimsy facade...

Shadows divided, crawling, pooling, splitting- malice escaping, pouring into the dark, empty still, night... no matter, it had malice enough to share.

It was a calm, cold, damp night. The night of cold that would sink deep into your bones, and would take hours to fade, to surrender to the warmth of a cup of hot chocolate, and soft light...

The city streets were silent, empty. _Devoid..._ Lights blackened, disappearing behind the shadows as they crawled along the buildings, the streetlamps, consuming the light. Before passing, and the fragile light cast glows once more. A silent shiver of dread ran through the city, running just before the Sickness. Horror, and a lingering sense of death remaining in it's wake.

Even the stars and moon had fled for cover in the sky, hiding behind the limited amount of clouds, those without place to hide, merely faded against the darkness, the Sickness, more powerful- more consuming, older, stronger, than the darkness between the galaxies. And cast no glow onto the city streets.

The city was bent to it's will, it's inhabitants had bowed to the Sickness. The Sickness grew inside, a tumor, destroying everything it touched, leaving disaster in it's wake. None could fight, none could win, none would survive.

The hunt was on... on for the remaining few.

_It doesn't matter were you hide... we'll find you, if we're wanting to._

The dye was cast- the dice were rolled, and the outcome... the outcome was near.

And the dice... the dice had been loaded from the start.

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A puppy, abandoned, to fend for itself, unwanted, unloved, alone... mewed sadly from an alley as the darkness neared. Helpless, it tried to escape it's prison of cardboard and newspaper.

The Sickness rose, slid, ran, poured, skimmed- through the city. Purpose focused on two beings.

_The second... and the third..._ For they were weak, trapped in the darkness. And, even from this distance, half a league away, the Sickness could smell the blood. The blood of the third. The blood that would nourish, that would strengthen, that would _complete_ the Sickness.

So concentrated was the stream of darkness on it's purpose, that it merely brushed the helpless, mewing puppy. But a mere brush was all that was needed.

The heart exploded, brain soon following suit. The small, scrabbling paws turned to ash, the cardboard wilted, the flesh decayed, falling off in lumps and growths of hair and blood and bone.

The Sickness tasted the blood, igniting it's thirst, it's desire. Scent was not enough to invoke the full desire, the longing. The aching _need_.

_Fearless..._

Terror brushed through the inhabitants of near apartment buildings, children waking in their beds screaming, the mere babies among those numbers... hearts merely stopped. A woman, 8 months into her pregnancy experienced a sharp, stabbing pain, and her baby was no more.

And the puppy... well, only bone marrow remained.

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Well, there we go, I'm halfway through the next chapter, and starting to suffer from writers block- but, seein' as we just got a puppy yesterday evening (wanna bet what I called her? I wanted to call her Leonardo, but mum said that'd give her a complex cos she's a girl, so I've called her; duhduhduh-- NINJA! that's right, I've called my puppy Ninja.) so it may be a little while til I update again, I'm putting this chapter up now cos I've got some time. so; please review- and I hope... (mwahahaha) hope ya enjoyed it!


	5. Brothers, Divided

A/N don't own the turtles...

I rewrote, and rewrote, and rewrote and ignored and beat and hit and rewrote and burnt and stabbed and kicked and REWROTE this chapter. And I STILL hate it. Gahhh! I thought I was gonna go crazy if I didn't find some way to get this stupid chapter out.

But, they say- what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

well, it just made me tear out all my hair and pull out my eyes... mwahhahaha!

hope ya enjoy... _cos I didn't._

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**Chapter Five - Brothers, Divided.**

Donatello rubbed his eyes. His brothers- they weren't picking up their shell-cells. Infact, the numbers wouldn't even ring. He merely got the message _The Number you have dialed is not available. Please call again later._ After many arguments with the woman, despite knowing perfectly well that she was just a recorded voice message, Donatello finally gave up.

Of course, Michaelangelo wasn't going to give up so easy. He just kept on hitting that redial button, over and over, years of stamina had given Mikey's thumbs a stamina that Donatello could only marvel at. "Mikey... give it up." Donatello sighed weakly, a heavy exhaustion spreading over him. It was unbelievable how exhausting worry and dialing was.

"No." Michaelangelo replied instantly. Donatello had tried to track his brothers shell-cell signals, but the dot, marking their place would not appear. Of course, hundreds of little dots flashed, blinking in and out, darting across the screen too fast for him to follow.

Donatello placed a hand on his brothers shoulder. Michaelangelo set worried, scared eyes on him, and Donatello turned away, sitting down and resting his head in his hands. He wanted to sleep, but it was more than that. The exhaustion went deeper than mere sleep. He wanted to stop.

But he had the horrible feeling that if he let his eyes close, for too long, let himself drift into sleep- he would never wake from the darkness.

He found himself wishing that Master Splinter was there. Unfortunately, he was visiting the Ancient One, in Japan. And all those miles... he had never felt so far away. So untouchable, so unreachable.

_We gotta do this alone. _Donatello sighed, jerking back to wakefulness. He had felt himself begin to drift. He looked to Michaelangelo, and was surprised to see his brother was gone.

"Mikey?" He asked. "Mike? Where... where are you?" Donatello stood, eyes wearily scanning the deeper darkness.

He was alone.

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Michaelangelo had been in the middle of hitting redial, and cursing that stupid woman, when he looked to his brother. He was- asleep.

"Donny." Michaelangelo scowled, poking his brothers shoulder. "Don, wake up! We gotta find Leo and Raph!" Michaelangelo shook his brothers shoulder- but Donatello did not even react, much less wake from his slumber.

Michaelangelo swallowed, eyes narrowing. He stood, yelling in Donatello's ear. Nothing. "Fine, bro. Just know... you pushed me to this..." Michaelangelo grimaced, and lightly, eyes on the far wall, whistling innocently, he knocked over one of Donatello's inventions.

It shattered in hundreds of pieces upon impact with the ground. Michaelangelo flinched, turning away, ready for the screams of fury and imminent attack.

The cry of utter fury... and the imminent attack... that didn't come.

After a few terrified seconds, Michaelangelo opened his eyes, staring hard at Donatello. "He didn't even flinch!" Michaelangelo cried indignantly. "Donny!" He yelled again. "Hey- hey, Don- was that important?!" Michaelangelo asked casually, voice high with fear. Donatello was- not a force to be messed with, if you broke one of his inventions.

His brother didn't stir. Michaelangelo looked around the room casually. Then stepped toward Donatello, leaning in, so his mouth was right by his brothers ear. He had done this once to Raphael- and the consequences... had been- dire... to say the least.

But, he had to wake Donatello up, they had to find Leo and Raph- because they could be in incredible danger. So, taking a deep, preparing, steeling breath- Michaelangelo let out the highest, loudest, and longest, girlish-screech he had ever heard.

Michaelangelo's scream trailed off, as he stared at his brothers tranquil face. His throat hurt. But at least now he knew.

_No one_ slept that soundly. "Foul play." Michaelangelo said to the empty room.

He was alone, but so was his brother. He tried... not to think too hard, about what Donatello _could_ be going through.

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_I don't wanna leave you, but I can't help you now._

"I'll get Leo and Raph, and we'll... we'll beat it together. I promise."

Michaelangelo cut a final, hoping look to the blanket he had placed over his brother. He smiled. All the lights were on in the lair, all the lamps surrounded Donatello's body, at individual points, half of them shining under the blanket, so there could be no darkness.

And, incase of some twisted, but typical power outage in the lair, Michaelangelo had gathered _all_ the candles, including Master Splinters, and the ones from the dojo, and placed them at key points around his sleeping brother.

_I hope it's enough, bro._ Michaelangelo shuddered, trying not to think what would happen if it _wasn't_ enough. But, he had to find Raphael and Leonardo. _They_ would know what to do, how to help Donatello.

Of course, that then raised the question; _what if Raph and Leo __**aren't**__ OK? What then? What will you do then?_ That niggling, mocking voice asked in the back of his head.

Michaelangelo didn't answer.

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Michaelangelo was half jogging, half walking silently through the sewers, but, his silent steps were pointless, as he had nearly a dozen forms of light strapped to his body. He had sunglasses, with torches on either side that had come from some toy-gun set. He had two torches, one strapped to his belt, incase the first would fail. He had taken the glow-in-the-dark stars from his ceiling, and stuck them to a spare belt, before fixing it around his body.

He was a beacon of light walking through the sewers. If he had to, just incase Light was a bad thing, he wanted to be able to remove it all easily.

Michaelangelo shuddered, cold and scared and- he could feel _something_ coming at him, from the shadows.

_The Sickness._

Michaelangelo screamed in terror, a figure jumping out of the shadows- materializing right infront of him so suddenly, it was all he could do to not knock into the figure.

"Mikey!" The figure cried, sounding just as surprised as Michaelangelo.

_Probably wasn't expecting that girlish-screech- wait--_ "Leo!" Michaelangelo cried in surprise, bowling into his brother. "You're OK! What happened?! Where's Raph?!"

Leo was silent, merely- wrapped his arms around Michaelangelo in comfort. But something was different- this time. That rush of confidence on Leo's appearance, that sure, doubtless confidence that everything would be alright, because, Leo was there, and he wouldn't let them get hurt. That was gone. Infact Leo had wrapped his arms around Michaelangelo, but his touch was chilling him to the bone.

"Leo? Wh... where's Raph?" Michaelangelo started to pull away.

Usually, Leo could dispel his fears with a hug, or a touch, warm him. But now- with the Sickness looming ever closer, so close he felt like he was breathing it- no comfort came from Leo- just-

_The Sickness_

"Leo...?" Michaelangelo croaked, trying to free himself from the vice-grip. "Y-you're n-"

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Leonardo tensed- eyes tearing from the shadows- _the sickness-_ He released Raphael, dropping to the ground, hands searching for his ninjaken.

"Leo?"

"Danger!" Leonardo yelled, he couldn't put his thoughts into sentences, could barely think- all he could feel and see and - understand- was darkness- clouding his mind, clogging up his throat, his nose- he couldn't breath- couldn't move, it was like he was wrapped up in cotton wool.

Raphael dropped beside him, finger catching one of Leonardo's ninjaken. He hissed and drew back a second, before fixing a grip of the blade and passing it to Leonardo.

"What _kind_ of danger, Leonardo?" Raphael demanded- not quite managing to keep the panic from his voice. Leonardo shook his head helplessly, hands finally finding his last ninjaken.

"Mikey- and Don." Leonardo said finally, chest constricted, throat burning, eyes watering- his body- was screaming at him to stop, to rest- to surrender-

He stood- he staggered. Raphael caught him. "Woa! What's wrong with you?" Raphael demanded, steadying his brother.

Leonardo shook his head, every movement frantic- he couldn't explain, his body wasn't working- his throat was tight- couldn't breathe- couldn't speak- _had to move_- his limps felt like the blood had been replaced by concrete, every step slow and pathetic- like walking under water, or under heavy-gravity.

It was impossible- he couldn't win- there was no beating something like this- something _that destroys you from the inside out-_

Was it getting darker?- _doesn't matter- keep going, keep going- one foot infront of the other- __**come on!**_

"R-raph-" Leonardo choked.

Time meant nothing now- everything was going so fast- he could barely register the rising desperation in his chest- _it was over- he was dead- there was no way out- there was no fighting this- there was no beating it- there was no-_

"What? What's wrong?" Raphael demanded worriedly.

"Mike... and- Donny- are at the- they're at the Lair-"

"So what?" Raphael demanded.

"G-go on without me, OK?" Leonardo whispered. Raphael laughed.

"I ain't gonna leave ya here, ya idiot. Haven't ya ever watched a horror movie?" Raphael mocked, hoping- that somehow, he could inspire his brother into movement. He tugged on Leo's arm.

"Please, Raphael!" Leonardo yelled. Raphael froze. Leonardo staggered again.

Time came to a screeching halt- and he fell as if falling through syrup, slowly-

Raphael reached for him- body fighting to move through the syrup like shadows-

darkness curled around-

Leonardo fell into the darkness.

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So, hopefully now that THIS chapter is over with, I can start enjoying it again. the only reason I don't like this chapter is because it's not very well-written, AND I had to fight writers block, tooth and nail to get it out.

This version was about as good as his chapter was going to get- and, seeing as I got a brand new USB stick today, I thought I would celebrate by uploading this... this... monstrosity... hahaha! I'm serious... and now, it's behind me! woot! happy day!

I just hope the next chapter is easier to write... or... shudder well, I hope ya enjoyed... and please review!

P.S please stay with me, readers- this's just a REALLY bad chapter... once I get over my writers block... hopefully... everything'll be eturned to normal... and we can just laugh about this chapter in a few years time, really, heh... laugh... yeah... ha ha... I think I broke my brain...


	6. Famished

**A/N** dont own the turtles...

OK, so, this chapter is a little screwed up, I think. Maybe not in a bad way, though... depends...either way, I hope ya enjoy it.

**Chapter Six - Famished**

The Second searched desperately for the third, movements wild, erratic, his thoughts being broadcast by his terror.

Like a rabbit, caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, the Second stiffened, turned to stone, terror turning his blood to ice.

The Sickness crawled closer, tendrils of darkness curling in the air, tasting the Seconds fear. The Third- was somewhere- had vanished. But that didn't matter; the Sickness would find the Third later.

The Sickness coiled, ready to strike. The Second grabbed his sai, turning around quickly, head whipping from side to side, trying to prepare for an attack.

_Delicious._

"Come on! I'm not afraid of you! I ain't afraid of no flipping Boogey Man!" The Second yelled his challenge into the darkness.

An emotion the Sickness wasn't used to over-whelmed the Seconds fear. For a long moment, they both remained still, before battle. Much like Samurai, waiting for the first move.

The Sickness waited, searching through all it knew, trying to place the all-consuming emotion that was pouring off the Second.

_Fury_.

"Bring Leo back!" The Second yelled into the darkness, spinning rapidly, trying to watch every angle. "Damnit!"

The Fury remained- the desire to Protect strong in the Second's blood. But underneath the bravery and the rage- was fear- terror.

_Sickness._

_**First, it starts with a migraine... and then... the dreaded-horrible fate! Oh! The sneezes! The runny noses! The fever- oh no!**_

The Second twitched, jerking around, but the voice- his words spoken- but not spoken aloud- just a cold feeling in his bones- the words came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time-

"Shut up! Shut up!" The Second screamed, voice full of venom and fear.

The Sickness crawled closer. But the Second stood stead-fast above the fallen third. Torn between fleeing and fighting. Torn between protecting his brother, and protecting himself- his terror, his anger- his desire to run and to fight-

_Delicious_.

_**Delicious**_.

The Second's grip tightened on his weapons- weapons that could not affect what hunted him now. His pain and his fear- all delicious.

_**Fffffaaaaaammmmmiiiissssshhhhhhheeeeedddddd.**_

_**Ffaaaammmmisssheeed-**_

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Michelangelo raced through the sewers, the torch beam flickering everywhere, all over the tunnels, creating a horrible sense of vertigo. He was going to fall- he was going to-

_don'tfalldon'tfalldon'tfall!_

He screamed to himself over and over and over- his heart beat racing, banging in his head- if he didn't fall- if the Sickness didn't get him soon- his heart would just explode-

Lungs burning- but he didn't falter- couldn't- didn't look back- didn't dare.

"Come on, Michelangelo. What sort of big brother would I be- if I let anything hurt you?"

Leonardo's voice echoed through the tunnels- so close- breath on his neck- hot- _so close!_

Michelangelo bit back a whimper of fear- blood rushing cold through his veins-

"Michelangelo." Leonardo's voice- sing-songy- _so close!_ "Big brothers' hungry!"

Michelangelo's throat tightened- he couldn't breathe- blue cloth- green flesh-

Michelangelo spun around, seconds from colliding with Leonardo- and ran the other way.

"_Mikey. Mikey. Mikey. Wait Mikey- Wait for your big brother, Mikey! Michelangelo! Big brother is hungry!_" The voice now torn and ripped and savage- like a starving animal.

"Leo! Raph! Donnieeeee-!" Michelangelo slammed into his purple clad brother. "D-Don? The Sickness- it's got Leo!"

"I know, Mikey. Don't worry, Mikey. Big brother is here." Donatello cooed.

"No." Michelangelo whispered, twisting himself from Donatello's arms, and backing away. "No. No, Don... Donnie... Leo... no... no... no..."

"Big brother is hungry." Donatello smiled, face lit up in the torch light. "We're hungry, Mikey!"

Something snapped inside Michelangelo, and he decided, staring at Donatello's face, twisted into a gruesome smile so wide his head might split in two- that no matter what happened from here on out, nothing could make him any more afraid. _Nothing_. He had reached his limit for fear, for terror-

"_Mikey.Mikey.Mikey.Mikey.Mikey-"_ Leonardo and Donatello chanted over and over, but underneath their chanting, Michelangelo could hear something else- barely a whisper. Barely a breath.

..._aaammmmissshhhhed_...

Michelangelo backed away, turning, to keep both Donatello in his sights and to watch Leonardo slowly materializing from the shadows.

_...aaaammmmissshedd..._

"Big brother is hungry. Don't worry, Mikey. I won't let anyone hurt you- what sort of big brother would I be? I'm hungry, Mikey!" Leonardo laughed, voice high, hysterical.

"Shut up! Please- shut up!" Michelangelo cried.

_...Fffffaaammmmissshhheeddd..._

"Famished." Michelangelo whispered. "Famished... Oh god." Michelangelo swallowed. "Oh god. ohgodohgodohgod..."

Donatello and Leonardo closed in on Michelangelo- malice, hatred, hunger and the _Sickness_ poured from them.

"No..." Michelangelo whispered, voice breaking. "Please... Leo... Don... Please... Please..." He closed his eyes for a moment, then took a steeling breath. "_Leo! Don! Raph!_" It worked in nightmares- he just had to wake up enough to yell for one of his brothers, and someone would come save him- oh-

_Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease! Please let this be a nightmare!_ "Leo! Raph! Don!" Michelangelo screamed again. Leonardo faltered, but Donatello continued smirking.

_...Famished..._

"Help me! Leo- Raph- Donnie!" Michelangelo screamed once more, voice hoarse and desperate- and using the last of his strength-

defeated- Michelangelo shook his head. _No._ He wasn't defeated- he was just too scared- _too sick­_- he couldn't... It had Leo, and it had Don- and god knows it either had Raph, or had killed him by now.

_The Sickness controlled the city- the Sickness had defeated the City- what hope did I ever have?_ Michelangelo asked himself weakly.

"Fine. Fine then." Michelangelo whispered, swallowing hard. "It's... it's OK, Leo... Don... it's OK- that it got you... it's gonna get me too... I forgive you..." Michelangelo trailed off, too scared -_too sick_- to cry.

Leonardo and Donatello shared a look over their prey.

"Famished."

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Donatello rushed through the Lair- but could not find any hint of where Michelangelo had gone. _Damnit, Mikey!_

"Mikey!" Donatello screamed. "Mikey! Where are you?!"

_"No..._" Was that- could it be?!

"_Mikey!_" Donatello yelled, looking around frantically, for any sign of his baby brother.

_"Please... Leo... Don... Please... Please..." _

"Mike! Mikey- Mike!" Donatello screamed, panic rooted deep inside of him, his brother had never sounded so terrified or defeated or helpless or hopeless- and Donatello couldn't do anything about it! Couldn't even find were his brothers voice was coming from! "Mikey!"

"_Help me! Leo-Raph-Donnie!"_ Michelangelo's voice echoed painfully around the Lair.

"Mike- where are you?! Mikey!" Donatello rushed for the entrance to the lair and pulled the door open-

_**Sickness**_-

Donatello recoiled, pushing himself back from the gaping, gnawing darkness.

"_Fine. Fine then._" Michelangelo's voice came again, fatally defeated and broken this time, barely a breath.. _"It's... it's OK, Leo... Don... it's OK- that it got you... it's gonna get me too... I forgive you..." _

"**NO! **MIKEY!"

_**Famished.**_

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Just s ya know, the world was against me uploading this chapter- it was a pain to type down, and didn't flow easy and I suffered- and then the internet didn't work. And no matter what I did last night, I couldn't get it to work. I came down at lunchtime, pressed like 6 buttons- and viola! Internet.

Anyway, I'm glad this chapter is finally up, and I hope ya all enjoy it,


	7. Bleeding, Burning

**A/N **DOTT (Don't Own The Turtles)

So, this chapter has been a while coming, and screwed me around a lot. I looked at the first bit of it again tonight, before writing up the last two pages, and decided, that yes, it had to happen this way. Otherwise, the semi-planned end I have for it, wouldn't really work. So I'm sorry if some of you don't like the start… but it was the best I could come up with… please read and review! And enjoy!

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**Chapter Seven - Bleeding, Burning**

Meditation was easy. Leonardo was good at meditation. Unlike his other brothers, he had the patience to sit still for the period of time required for meditating. He was used to it, enjoyed it, comforted by it, even-

What he wasn't used to, what he didn't enjoy- but what he _did_ find comforting- was the unshakable, undeniable presence of his Master. Leonardo had been loathe to let himself answer Master Splinters' call- but with the Sickness pressing in so close on his very being, his soul- latching onto Master Splinters' strength was his best- only- chance.

It meant, of course, that he had to leave Raphael to fend for himself- and had he not felt the desperation, worry and need in his Masters call, he would have fought the Sickness with everything he had- and lost, of course- but he would have tried.

He knew he had made the right choice. But that didn't make it any easier. Floating in that strange, dark place he'd been few times, feeling his Father's presence wrapping around his own, weakening presence. He had been able to hear Raphael- even feel the pressure on his hand as Raphael clung onto him for strength and protection.

_My son, put Raphael out of your mind._

That brought Leonardo's attention back from his distant brother- shocked that his Father would tell him to do something like that.

_Listen to me, Leonardo. I understand you are all under threat, but I cannot see what it is._

_The Sickness._ Leonardo said quickly- it was hard to speak- he wasn't paying enough attention- he kept slipping in and out. It was a bizarre sensation, like jumping into a scolding bath and then into a freezing one. Unpleasant- but... strangely- also not.

_Leonardo._ Master Splinters voice again- stern and commanding- and-

_Raphael needs me!_

_Michelangelo needs you!_ His father said instantly. Leonardo's attention came slamming back.

_Mikey?_

_Michelangelo is in grave danger, more danger than you, and Raphael, and Donatello combined. Whatever this Sickness is- is close to defeating Michelangelo._

**Devouring.** Leonardo thought weakly. **Not defeating... devouring...**

_My son, in a moment, I shall help you return to your body, but you must listen to me, you must give me all your attention- __**Focus**__ Leonardo! Or I cannot help you_.

Leonardo closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath, then putting everything he had into concentrating on Master Splinter.

_Leonardo, this Sickness as you call it, feeds on emotion. Fear- Terror- the more you Fear it, the more open you are to it. The more Souls it gathers, the stronger it shall become. Soon, it shall be undefeatable. You must be strong, your brothers, must be strong. You must not allow Fear to be your Master. _

_How do we beat it, Master Splinter? It has no form! No physical body! It is just shadow!_ Leonardo cried desperately.

_**Bring Leo back!**_ Raphael's voice pierced through the veil of the worlds- and nearly shattered Leonardo's hold.

_Be calm, my son. Your grip on this world is faltering. It has been unable to reach you here- but once you return, you must-_

_**Help me! Leo- Raph-Don!**_ Michelangelo's voice broke through. Leonardo gasped.

_Leonardo!_ Master Splinter yelled.

_**No! Mikey!**_ Donatello's voice-

_**It's... it's OK, Leo... Don... it's OK- that it got you... it's gonna get me too... I forgive you...**_

"Mikey! Don! Raph!" Leonardo yelled.

_My son!_ Master Splinter cried- but he faded out- the comforting, bizzare darkness faded-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Darkness- __**Sickness!**_ Alarm bells rang in Leo's mind, and he jerked, twisted- sat bolt upright- bumping into Raphael, and they both tripped, landing in the thick, cloying darkness -

pale, putrid hands- a mass of flesh- starving- famished- reaching- grasping-.

A warm hand- Raphael. _Raph._

"...Leo...Bro?" Raphael gaped.

"Raph!" Leonardo cursed himself- he had not heard the rest of Master Splinters sentence- he did not know how to beat the Sickness. _Damnit. It's all my fault_. "Raph!" Leonardo yelled again, shaking Raphael's hard grip on his upper left arm off and finding his ninjaken instantly. "Pull it together, Raphael!" Leonardo bellowed.

Raphael scowled. "Who th' hell are you to tell _me_ ta pull it tagether? You're th' one who went and passed out!" But underneath Raphael's rebuke, Leonardo could hear fear in his voice. Fear that Raphael could barely control. Fear that Leonardo could feel trying to take over.

_Fear, like pale- putrid hands- scrabbling for a hold- a grip- a crag, a hand hold- a weakness- a gap- a space through- __**into him**__-_

Leonardo shook his head. "Raph- I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry I left you alone..." Leonardo looked around, feeling the fear build up and over-ride his anger and his worry- _damnit_. He gasped, fear tightening his chest- darkness closing in- "Close your eyes, Raph!"

Raphael had an instant to close his eyes before Leonardo threw a flash bomb.

"Damnit- Leo- what're ya playin'..." Raphael frowned. The fear had not vanished- just as the shadows had not- but the light had driven it further away.

"Come on, Raph. You can be angry at me lat... no, be angry at me now, OK?" Leonardo changed his mind mid-sentence.

"Ya what?" Raphael gaped. "Ya _want_ me ta chew ya out?"

Leonardo looked around. "Mikey's in danger. We've got to go. _Now_." _Or... or we'll be too late- and our baby brother will be gone..._

Raphael looked at the closing in shadows nervously, and Leonardo stiffened in fear.

"Damnit- come on, Raph! We're the big brothers! We can't afford to be scared!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York was burning. New York was bleeding.

They were burning. They were bleeding.

_Bleeding_... _bleeding... He, the third- he was bleeding... bleeding still. Always bleeding- All of them- hearts, always bleeding- beating- constant- putrid little hearts- beating in fragile little chests-_

They were all bleeding, burning- burning, bleeding.

_Burning inside- burning out- fading- bleeding._

Strength was fading- hope- breaking.

_Hearts- hearts so fragile, so gentle- so __**pathetic**__- were bleeding- bleeding- pouring- pouring with Sickness-_

New York was burning. New York was bleeding.

_**They **__ would burn. __**They**__ would bleed._

_Bleed until they could not._

_Burn until they were purged._

_Bleed until their blood was burnt._

_Burn until their blood was gone..._

New York was burning.

New York was bleeding.

New York- was _starving_.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Putrid little monsters- beating hearts- blood pumping in their thin weak veins- blood begging to be split-_

_Begging- begging to bleed._

_Skin over their blood infested flesh- flesh covering bone- fragile bone- protecting pathetic little hearts-_

_Oxygen- breath- in their weak lungs-_

_Pumping blood-_

_Blood- begging to pour free-_

_Pumping life-_

_Life begging to be taken-_

_Love- happiness- joy-_

_begging to be fouled._

_Begging- pleading-_

_Screaming- taunting- life- __**life**__-_

_Weak bodies, muscle moving- moving legs, moving arms, moving neck, moving chest to breathe- to give oxygen- to pump to muscles- to give life- to __**run**__-_

_Putrid cowards-_

_Weak- and begging- pleading- screaming to die-_

_Fodder- life-stock._

_Famished. Starving-_

_**Mocking**__- _

_faces- smiles- white teeth- soft flesh- strong muscles- breath- life- all __**mocking**__-_

_All asking to be destroyed- all waiting-_

_Waiting for the Sickness-_

_Sickness to split the flesh. Sickness to thin the blood. Sickness to weaken the muscle. Sickness to break the bones. Sickness to foul the heart. Sickness to rot the brain. Sickness to destroy-_

_Begging- screaming- pleading- mocking-_

_Asking- demanding-_

_Blood pumping- blood- flesh- bone-_

_Prey- all prey- all prey to the Sickness- Sickness that dwelt inside- Sickness that __**crawled**__ inside- Sickness that ate out heart - Sickness that defeated all._

Putrid little monsters.

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The last bit, is kinda… from the Sickness's POV- it was gonna be a whole different chapter, but I liked it better this way. I hope it's kinda creepy, cos I wanted to keep the creep-factor in as much as possible. Let me know what you think, please! I can't remember what else I was going to say… Oh well, hope ya enjoyed it! And be sure to let me know if ya did!


	8. Eyes

Disclaimer; Don't own 'em

**Disclaimer**; Don't own 'em. Really, really wish I did, but it's probably a good thing I don't.

**A/N** I have many, many countless, limitless excuses as to why it has taken -OHMYGOD- 6 months (is it six months?) for me to update, ranging from **the** most incredible writers block, to moving 8,000 miles, to dodging police and burying bodies in the back garden… (now, obviously, the last two excuses are blatant lies, as I am currently lacking in any form of a garden, and I technically don't yet exist in this country, thus have no need to run from the police)

You do have my sincerest apologies for the lateness of this update… another thing I must apologise for is that this is probably the closest this fic will ever get to completion. For this, I have no excuse. So, I hope you enjoy what might be the last chapter of this fic, and thanks for all the reviews and reads.

--

**Chapter Eight - **

**The Dancers;**

Donatello remained frozen for what seemed like an age. His eyes flickered from one spot to another, mind racing from one thought to another- but it was all useless and he couldn't move and the Sickness was going to get-

It felt like running into a brick wall. Intellectually, more than physically.

Because this just _wasn't_ happening. It just couldn't be. They weren't about to be done in my some kid's Boogey Man. _They weren't_.

It was just... just too... too wrong. Too hard to accept. So either, he'd flipped his lid and gone off the deep end (and jesus christ, he just _had_ to be really dramatic about it, that was all.) Or someone was playing an elaborate prank.

Then he saw _them_. Eyes shifting through the shadows- and there _they_ were. Dancers.

It wasn't fear that held him transfixed now- but wonder. They were on the wall- but they were away from it too.

He could define the lighter shadow of the male dancer's shirt, and the paleness of the female dancers dress- where it cut low on her back in a sharp V, and the darkness of her hair against her pale back and dress. He couldn't see their faces- and found he didn't want to.

He couldn't look away- couldn't bring himself to- as the man twirled the woman across the wall, and back again- as she followed his moves with such an unconscious grace, it reminded him of Leo.

They turned again- this time slower, and faint, hollow, soft music began to reach Donatello's ears- they were in perfect synch with each other and the music. He took a slow, silent breath, aware he had been holding his breath.

Something was wrong with their faces- and it took him a few seconds to realise what it was.

Instead of noses and mouths- they had long, large, pointy black crow beaks. And feathers, that began at the edges of the beak, went no higher than their eyes- and around the back of their heads.

"Oh, my god." Donatello whispered, breath catching. They were haunting, graceful and solely fixed on each other- beautiful but ugly -

They turned again, and their crows faces turned to him. His eyes widened a fraction- and then a hand- or more... a wing came out of the wall, at first, he thought it meant to grab him and- and what?

But the hand remained still, beckoning to him. He found his arm stretching out of his own accord- saw his skin- the green only faintly noticeable- pass through the wing-hand. He tried again- and pins and needles shot up from his hand to his arm- but he didn't jerk his hand back.

The music came to a stop- the dancers seemed to share a look- crows beaks nearly touching- and then they lunged.

--

**It comes;**

The sewer tunnels had never been so small, so narrow- _so dark_- Michelangelo continued to back up- even though he _knew_ his shell would hit a wall any second now- he just had to keep hoping- he _had to_-

"Big brother is hungry." Leonardo smiled, cutting a smooth look to Donatello, before nodding slowly, and stepping closer.

"Famished." Donatello laughed wildly.

Michelangelo felt his shell tap against the wall- and the sewers around him teetered- see-sawing, pin-pricks of light flashed in his vision- he was going to black out- the last thing he would ever see was two of his older brothers grinning manically at him-

_No, no, no! They wouldn't do this! They wouldn't! No matter what!_

"Get a takeout, asshole!"

….._Could it be?_

"Raph!" The high cry of joy and relief escaped him before he registered the figure standing before him, sai's shining in what little light there was.

"…the hell is this?" Raphael said slowly, looking on in disbelief at Leonardo and Donatello.

"I- they- the Sickness-" Michelangelo searched for a way to explain to Raphael what was going on- when he didn't know himself.

"Where's Donny?" Raphael questioned.

"There." Michelangelo whispered, voice breaking slightly, as he gestured toward Donatello.

"That ain't Donny, Mike."

"How do you know?" Michelangelo challenged, eyeing his brothers wearily, hoping Raphael didn't turn out to be- _taken- sick_­- too.

"Cause I know that ain't Leo." Raphael said flatly. "And, bro… they'd have to be completely out of their minds to wanna eat _you_."

Donatello sent Leonardo a questioning look, in response to the look, Leonardo drew his ninjaken, stepping closer. Donatello followed suit, face twisted in a manic grin.

"Oh, Big brother is so happy…" Leonardo smiled; teeth horribly sharp and pointed. "So happy to have his family together… So happy…"

Michelangelo pulled his nun-chuks from his belt, swallowing hard, before nodding to Raphael.

"Then where is he?" Michelangelo asked. Raphael's eyes narrowed.

"I'm right here, Mikey. It's me, your big brother…" Leonardo cooed. "Come, hug big brother."

"So you can eat my brains? No thanks." Michelangelo muttered, feeling safer and braver with Raphael at his side.

Leonardo laughed. "Come, Raphael, Michelangelo… make big brother happy. So happy."

--

**Keep them closed;**

Insanity, right now, would be a fantastic thing. Really, Insanity, or death. Death would be preferable, but the Universe seemed to have it in for him, so he would happily settle for simple Insanity.

"Stop!" He screamed, the word ripping from his chest, leaving an ache in his throat and the deepest pit of his chest, as if the word had ripped out his heart as it travelled from his stomach.

At least, once insane, he could just accept the fact that this was happening, and that there could be _no_ explanation, except, of course, that a cosmic amount of Scary Doom and Painful, likely Terrifying Death had been dropped, rather unceremoniously, on he and his brothers.

He covered his face in his hands- but still saw them- _the eyes-_ staring- unblinking- relentless, and so completely ­_dead_ he wondered if there had ever been life _anywhere_- let alone in those countless pairs of eyes staring at him, pinning him to the floor as wonder had just a few short moments ago.

He preferred the dancers- but he would have preferred insanity or death to _this_- so he supposed what he preferred didn't count for too much _at all_.

"Close your eyes!" He screamed, wondering if that was _really_ his voice- "_stop! Stop- don't look at me!_" Suddenly, insanity didn't seem so appealing anymore- but that change in opinion could be laid at the feet of the fact that the possibility of loosing hold on reality had become more and more likely.

Bodiless, floating- accusing- he wished they would stop staring at him- he couldn't- he _couldn't-_

"_No!_" He had fought for his life, fought for his brothers lives, fought for the city- fought incredible odds, and won all those battles- but this was a battle ground he was a stranger to. He had been trained to fight on unfamiliar territory, he knew how to turn things to his advantage- but _this_- _**the eyes**_-

He had never really gotten the hang of meditation, his mind wandered too much, not like his younger brothers, no, he just found himself thinking of his latest invention, or whatever needed repairing, or improving, and that led to which tools he would use- and- _the eyes!_

His mind had always been methodical, calm- but now- _those eyes_- he couldn't think, his thought pattern was shot to hell. Concentration was completely out of his reach- despite his conclusion that if he could only _just_ ignore _those eyes- those floating, lifeless eyes-_ they would go _away_-

"Don!"

His eyes snapped open- and he realised then he had had them closed- but he still saw the eyes- _in my head- it's all in my head- all in my head- __**the eyes**__- they're in my head-_

"_Don_!" The call was frantic now- bodiless, as if the eyes were speaking to him, crying out to him, begging for mercy- for an _end_- "_Don!_"

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his feet. His feet were on the ground- the concrete floor of the Lair was slightly warm, as if thrumming, and he switched his attention to that- ignoring the eyes- _ignore the eyes_-

Warm hands grabbed his shoulders- and _his eyes_ snapped open.

"Don."

_Eyes_.

"Tell me what you see."

_Eyes_.

"Don, snap out of it- Raph and Mike are alone, we've gotta-"

"Eyes."

"Eyes?"

_Eyes_.

"_The ghosts of the eyes…_"

"…the what?"

"_Keep them closed." _

"Don-"

"_Keep them closed._"

--

So, yeah. There it is. Hope it was alright, and I'm gonna say… I'd be surprised if I came back to this, which is a shame because I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and still do, I suppose. But, meh… such is life.


	9. Reason

**A/N **inspiration struck, I guess, and I finally came up with a believable back-story for the Sickness, an origin, of the sort. Not that I'm encouraging smoking or anything, or drinking- both are bad, but outside on a cold clear autumn night with a bottle of your favourite, and enough smokes to last the night, that's usually when inspiration strikes hardest for me. But I'm weird, and my obsession with the stars and long cold nights goes _beyond_ unhealthy. Plus, there's the whole I started something, so I should at least be able to follow it through to the end, no matter how good or bad it gets, yeah?

It's a short chapter, 3 pages, but I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things, so please stick with me a little longer, and we'll see where we can go with this, eh?

**Disclaimer;** if I owned the guys, I'd be paying someone to write this for me. But I don't own 'em, which means I'm writing this myself- which is why the quality fluctuates between OK and really-really bad. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do with them, if I owned them, so it's probably a good thing I don't.

Please enjoy, and if you _are_ enjoying this story, then I apologise for being so frustratingly sporadic and unreliable with it. I have a million reasons, but most of 'em are just excuses.

Enjoy.

Oh, and I've… I think I've changed chapter 8 a tiny bit- but I'm not sure if I uploaded the correct version or not… it doesn't matter much, one was just longer than the other.

**Chapter Nine – Reason**

"Hey, Raph- you remember the first time I mentioned the Sickness? You know what you did- you _laughed_-"

"Now ain't th' time Mike!" Raph snapped, backing away from Don and Leo, with Mike right by his side.

"See, now- I disagree- there might not _be_ another time! So I want an apology, okay?" Mike shot back, his shell scraping against the wall.

"Jesus, I'm sorry for mocking you, aight?" Raph muttered. "You feel better now?"

"Well, I'm not gonna die happy, but I'll feel a lot better about it, knowing you apologised." Mike grinned.

"Seein' as yer the expert on it, ya got any suggestions to how we make good 'bout our escape?"

"Actually, I'm kinda surprised you haven't attacked them yet." Mike said thoughtfully.

"Hell, they look jus' like Don and Leo- seem's… wrong, somehow. That- an' I don't wanna get too close to 'em. Makes my skin crawl jus' think' 'bout it."

"I can't believe you're passing up your _only_ chance to beat the shell out of Leo."

Raph paused, looking at Mike. Mike shrugged. "'s tempting, when you put it that way." Then a shudder of fear rolled through his veins, and knew that unless it was their only option, it would be pretty impossible for him to get close. Hell, even this close was locking up his legs with fear- and they'd put some distance between themselves and the Sickness versions of Leo and Don.

"We could run." Mike said then, voice quiet.

_Run…_ Raph grimaced. "Ain't my style, Mike."

"_Really_, Raph?" Mike asked, his face dead pan.

"'sides, I kinda get the impression they'd catch us the second we made to run."

"Yeah, right now I think it's docile. You know how animals smell fear? I think it can smell our fear and figures on us being too scared to think. But if we run, it'll be on us, quick as anything. So- whatever we do, we should be careful and-" Mike was in the middle of explaining what he thought would trigger the Sickness into attacking when Raph cracked his knuckles, and drew his sai. "Oh, I just know that means trouble."

"Can you do this?" Raph asked him. Mike paused, honestly, seriously thinking about it- just being this close was difficult.

"When you think about it, this is kind of like when the Justice League faced off-"

"Don't care, Mike!" Raph hissed over his shoulder, as he lunged towards Don and Leo. Mike was only seconds behind, his nun-chuks swirling, and fear so deep in his blood his body felt frozen by it.

A matter of seconds before Raph's sai met Leo's sword- the whole tunnel exploded in bright, blinding light- and a warm hand latched around Mike's wrist.

"Grab Raph!" And even though it's a voice Mike knows the Sickness can imitate, it's using that unmistakable tone, and it's all Mike can do to grab Raph- because no matter if it's the Sickness Leo or his Big Brother Leo, when he uses that tone of voice, by God, you do what he says.

He's just turning to shout to Leo, that he's got Raph, as Raph is yelling at him in confusion, demanding that Mike lets him go- and Leo is shouting something to them, or someone else- and then there's this unearthly scream, that Mike feels more than hears, shakes the ground, and sends tremors of paralysing fear through his body.

And _that's_ when he loses his hold on Raph, and Leo let's his arm go. And he's alone, in a world of white-

-

He's almost awake when the terror kicks back in and he lunges up, nearly falling but catching himself as he yells and reaches for his nun-chucks when there's a sniggering from behind him.

"Uhh… Guys?" He's blinking- his eyes are sore, dry- like the time Donny shone a torch in his eyes, accidently. He turns, and spots his brothers- and they really _are_ his brothers… he almost runs over and grabs them all in a massive ` group hug`, but it's an urge he resists, last time he attempted a `group hug`… it didn't have the desired effect, to say the least.

The desired effect being warmth and love and brotherly companionship… the resulting effect was something on level to a sparring match as Raph yelled, cursed and basically tried to keep up his macho act as Donny dropped his fresh cup of coffee all over their toes and Leo just smirked…

"Relax, bone head." Raph's tone is smug and all fear is gone from it, and Mikey doesn't think he's ever been so happy to hear that tone. "We're safe." Still, now that he can see their faces, the `for now` doesn't have to be spoken, it's clear and thick in the air- because the night isn't over and it's a long time before the sun comes up.

"What happened?" He asks finally, looking at Leo and Don almost wearily. He knows it wasn't them, and it's not the Sickness now… but he can't help it.

"You fainted." Raph's response is short and brutal and Mike doesn't think he's ever been so glad to have the rude Raph back.

"Don rigged up the security lights to blow, while I went around with the Sewer Slider, also rigged up with torches and lights on full beam, to pick you up." Leo elaborates on Raph's basic answer, and Mike is nodding, kinda glad that `you fainted` wasn't all there was to the story of their great escape.

"Wait. We have security lights… in the sewers?"

Raph looks at Mike, while Leo turns straight to Don, who shrugs. "I thought they might come in handy… Unfortunately, to have a bright enough light source to affect the… Sickness, at all, caused the wires to fry and the bulbs to blow, so it's not something we can try again."

It's then that Mike realises where they are- April's apartment- but there's no sign of her and for a second he starts to panic. But she's away on some business trip, and Mike smiles, because he didn't want her to go- but he's very, very glad she did go.

"So?" Raph poses the question, and Mike turns back to them- but they're all looking at him.

"What?"

"Well- it stands to reason that you would have an idea on how to defeat this… Sickness, since you are the one who first discovered its existence." Don says, elaborating on what _might_ have been Raph's question… but it was hard to tell when Raph was genuinely asking, and genuinely trying to be the frustrating hot-head he is.

"Uhh, what?"

"Forget it, Don. If you're gonna rely on Mike for battle strategies, we all might as well hang up our weapons now." Raph has turned away and Leo is still silent- and if his eyes weren't flickering all over the place, Mike would think he was meditating. Don's staring at the light bulb.

"Well, light holds it off, briefly. And… it basically seems to be some form of… darkness." Don is saying, and it's obvious he's trying to be scientific or at least reasonable and calculating about it… but the whole idea is almost too radical for anything like that.

"It feeds on fear." Mike offers quietly.

"Well, this's all great. But how's it solve our problem?" Raph cuts in, turning back to face them.

"We find out what it is by the way it acts, Raph. We find out what it is, we find out where it came from. We do those two things and we can beat it- or send it back to where it came from." Leo says, speaking for the first time in a while- and his voice sounds strained.

"It must be safe to assume that it's come from another planet, or another time. So perhaps if we-"

"No, Don, I don't think this is anything from another time or planet. I think… I seriously think it's from Earth, our time." Mike said lightly, and he almost pauses- unsure of himself, because there's something nagging in the back of his head- something about stars and dark cold nights- but it's gone before he can get a good grip on the thought.

"Alright, then, brainiac." Raph begins, and Mike is surprised he didn't see that coming- "what do we do, then?"

"Jeeze, Raph. I dunno, maybe… save the world?" Mike retorts and Raph's shoulders tense up, and Mike almost thinks Raph is gonna take a leap at him, when Leo puts a hand on Raph's shoulder, looking first at the floor, before he raises his eyes to Mikes, and he nods briefly.

"It's a good start."

--

So, I realise it's maybe not… I don't know, what it's not. But, thanks for reading, if any of my old readers are still sticking around, I hope this is a suitable chapter. Hope you enjoyed


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